STOCKHOLM, Nov 7, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Sweden, a country of 10.6 million, has some 17,500 active gang criminals, police said Friday while adding that about 50,000 people are believed to have links to gang crime.

The Scandinavian country has struggled to contain surging violent crime linked to criminal networks for more than a decade, with near daily shootings and bombings linked to score-settling and battles to control the drug market.

The government called on police to provide an overview of the crisis and a first report in 2024 estimated 14,000 gang memberes. But police commissioner Petra Lundh told a press conference that the method for calculating the number had changed.

"We do not see any clear indications of an increase or decrease, even though this year's figures appear to be higher," Lundh told reporters.

She added that the assessment was probably conservative since they had "strict criteria for how to be counted as active". The "groups of active gang criminals, and also those who have links to them, are far too large."

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing government came to power in 2022 vowing to crack down on crime.

It has given police extended powers and introduced measures to target youth crime, including plans to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13.

Other measures include establishing special prison wards for youths instead of the current youth residences, abolishing more lenient sentences for young offenders, and enabling police to use coercive measures against children to get at the criminals ordering the crimes.

The country is experiencing almost-daily shootings and bombings in public places, occasionally claiming innocent victims.

Deadly shootings have declined but bombings have increased, statistics show.

Lundh noted that prosecutions had increased in recent years, but stressed that the issue could not be solved by police alone.

"We can conclude that this type of crime, which threatens society, cannot be prosecuted away. Instead, we must also prevent these crimes at an earlier stage," Lundh said.

She called for efforts to counter "the influx of children and young people" ready to carry out criminal acts.